Metal Detector Systems
Designed to identify and remove metal contaminants from food products during the production and packaging process. These contaminants can include metal fragments, such as pieces of metal machinery, broken equipment parts, or even metal shavings that might inadvertently find their way into the food. Detecting and removing these contaminants is crucial to ensuring food safety and consumer confidence.
We are partnered with Fortress Technology, a leading global inspection equipment manufacturer. Simple Operation, Outstanding Reliability and Exceptional Performance are the core of every system.
Stealth Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Stealth Metal Detectors use powerful Digital Signal Processing technology and have high sensitivity levels for detecting the smallest ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless-steel contaminants. You can customize the Stealth to suit any application with custom Conveyor Systems and Reject options we manufacture to your specifications.
Advanced Detection
Uses powerful Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology for superior sensitivity.
Detects All Metals
Identifies ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless-steel contaminants.
Fully Customizable
Tailor it to your needs with custom conveyor systems and reject options.
Large Bag Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Big Bag King – The industry’s most sensitive metal detector, reliably detecting 2.0 mm stainless steel in 50-100 lb. bags. Features automated data collection and custom heavy-duty stainless steel conveyors built for harsh environments and washdown conditions.
Unmatched Sensitivity
Detects 2.0 mm stainless steel in 50-100 lb. bags of dry product.
Automated Compliance
Built-in data collection & Contact Reporter Software for seamless record-keeping.
Heavy-Duty Construction
Custom stainless steel conveyors built for harsh conditions & washdown environments.
Gravity Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Stealth Gravity Metal Detectors ensure precise inspection of free-falling products, with customizable pipe sizes and automated reject systems for seamless contaminant removal.
High-Precision Inspection
Detects contaminants in free-falling products.
Customizable Options
Available in various pipe sizes to fit your needs.
Automated Contaminant Removal
Advanced reject systems ensure product purity.
Pipeline Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Pipeline Metal Detection Systems inspect pumped liquids & pastes with customizable reject valves, pipe materials, and fittings. IP69K-rated for extreme washdown environments.
Inline Inspection
Detects contaminants in pumped liquids & pastes.
Customizable Design
Multiple reject valves, pipe materials, and fittings available.
Built for Tough Conditions
IP69K-rated for extreme washdown environments.
Interceptor DF Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Interceptor DF – The first multi-directional, multi-frequency metal detector, enhancing the detection of ultra-thin contaminants for superior processing line protection.
Revolutionary Technology
Uses simultaneous multi-frequency operation for superior accuracy.
Divergent Field Innovation
First metal detector with multiple field directions for enhanced detection.
Unmatched Sensitivity
Dramatically improves detection of ultra-thin contaminants in processing lines.
Interceptor Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Interceptor Metal Detectors boost stainless-steel detection by up to 100%, minimizing false rejects and waste. Optimized for wet and conductive products, it uses multi-frequency analysis for precise contaminant detection.
Enhanced Accuracy
Improves stainless-steel detection by up to 100%.
Reduces Waste
Minimizes false rejects and costly product loss.
Optimized for Wet Products
Ideal for meat, dairy, and other conductive items.
Multi-Frequency Analysis
Differentiates product signals from metal contaminants.
Meat Pump Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Meat Pump Metal Detection System ensures high-sensitivity detection of metal fragments in high-viscosity meats and vacuum-filled products, meeting the highest food industry standards for consumer safety.
Industry-Leading Safety
Designed to detect metal fragments in meat products.
Optimized for High-Viscosity Foods
Ideal for meats and products from vacuum fillers.
Advanced Detection Technology
Uses Digital Signal Processing for high-sensitivity contaminant detection.
Ensures Consumer Safety
Meets the highest food industry quality standards.
Pharmaceutical Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Stealth Pharmaceutical Metal Detector ensures precise metal detection in tablets & capsules, meeting GMP & FDA compliance. Features easy-clean removable parts, adjustable design, and an air-free servo-driven reject system for seamless operation.
Precision Detection
Identifies smallest metal contaminants in tablets & capsules.
Pharma-Grade Compliance
GMP design meets FDA & QA standards.
Easy Maintenance
Removable contact parts for quick and simple cleaning.
Flexible & Compact
Adjustable height & angle to fit any tablet press.
Vertex Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Stealth Vertex Metal Detector – Ultra-slim & compact, perfect for free-falling product inspection in tight packaging spaces, seamlessly fitting between Multi-head Weighers & Vertical Form Fill & Seal machines.
Ultra-Slim Design
Ideal for tight spaces in packaging lines.
Free-Falling Product Detection
Ensures precise contaminant removal.
Seamless Integration
Fits between Multi-head Weighers & Vertical Form Fill & Seal machines.
Laboratory Q/A Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Stealth Laboratory Metal Detector – A portable, offline system for analyzing rejected products, quickly isolating metal contaminants for further inspection.
Offline Inspection
Perfect for examining rejected products.
Efficient Contaminant Separation
Quickly isolates metal contaminants for analysis.
Portable & Convenient
Roll-around design for easy movement and use.
Lumber Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Lumber Metal Detectors – Rugged, custom-built for large-scale applications, scanning entire logs to protect downstream machinery from costly damage.
Built for Tough Environments
Custom-made for large-scale applications.
Full Log Scanning
Ensures thorough detection to prevent contaminants.
Protects Machinery
Prevents costly damage to downstream equipment.
Web Textile Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Surface Web Metal Detection Systems – Detects metal fragments in sheeted materials, continuous webs, and thin products like textiles, paper, and packaging with custom aperture sizes and sectioned detection for pinpoint accuracy.
Wide-Area Detection
Scans sheeted materials, continuous webs, and thin products.
Versatile Applications
Ideal for textiles, paper, boards, films, and packaging.
Custom Aperture Sizes
Tailored to specific width requirements.
Sectioned Detection
Divides into individual zones for pinpoint accuracy.
Vent Tube Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Vent Tube Metal Detector – Detects fallen vent and fill tube nozzles in plastic or glass bottles up to 3L/6.5 pints, with a retrofit design for easy integration into existing bottling lines.
Precision Detection
Identifies fallen vent and fill tube nozzles in bottles.
Versatile Compatibility
Works with plastic & glass bottles up to 3L/6.5 pints.
Easy Integration
Retrofit design allows seamless installation into bottling lines.
Surface Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Surface Metal Detector – Custom-built for wide sheeted materials like paper, textiles, and boxboard. Features a rail-mounted, quick-removal design, expandable width, and high-speed performance for seamless inspection.
Wide Material Inspection
Detects metal contaminants in paper, textiles, and boxboard.
Modular & Expandable
Fits any web width with independent, repositionable modules.
Quick Removal & Easy Maintenance
Rail-mounted design allows effortless servicing.
High-Speed & High-Performance
Ideal for fast-paced production lines.
In-Foil Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
In-Foil Metal Detector – Detects iron & steel contaminants in foil-packaged fresh or frozen products, using high-sensitivity Digital Signal Processing while ignoring non-ferrous metals.
Precise Ferrous Detection
Identifies iron & steel contaminants in foil-packaged products.
Foil-Tolerant Technology
Ignores aluminum foil & non-ferrous metals for accurate results.
High-Sensitivity Performance
Uses Digital Signal Processing to detect even the smallest ferrous contaminants.
Multi-Aperture Metal Detector
Fortress Technology
Multi-Aperture Metal Detector – Compact design saves 50% floor space while lane-independent rejection reduces waste costs. Features multiple apertures for higher sensitivity, detecting ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel contaminants.
Space-Saving Design
Reduces equipment footprint by 50%, optimizing factory floor space.
Lane-Independent Rejection
Minimizes waste costs with precise reject control.
High-Sensitivity Detection
Multiple small apertures improve metal detection accuracy.
Versatile Contaminant Detection
Identifies ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel metals.
Halo Automatic Testing System for Metal Detectors
Fortress Technology
A hands-free testing system for ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless-steel samples, eliminating manual challenges, reducing errors & injury risks, and improving efficiency on all Fortress metal detectors.
Hands-Free Testing
Eliminates manual testing challenges in complex environments.
Comprehensive Detection
Tests ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless-steel samples.
Boosts Efficiency
Saves time, labor, and costs, reducing human error & injury risks.
Seamless Integration
Compatible with all Fortress metal detectors, installable on new or existing
FAQ
What is a metal detector and what does it do?
A metal detector is a food safety device that detects metal contaminants in products, ensuring they are removed before reaching consumers.
Can metal detectors identify anything other than metal?
Primarily, metal detectors detect metal. However, certain specialized metal-detectable plastics or minerals with high iron content may trigger detection. Some stones with high ferrous minerals can also be detected, though not reliably.
Why do metal detectors sometimes reject products without any contaminants?
False rejects can occur due to factors like improper calibration, product effect (like salt or moisture), or electrical interference. Proper setup and expert guidance reduce these occurrences
Do metalized or foil packages require special equipment?
Ideally, products to be foil-packaged should pass through a conventional detector system before they are packed. Where this is not possible, products packaged in aluminum can be inspected with an In-foil metal detector, which are suited for any foil-packaging application or aluminum casting inspection. It’s important to note that these systems are limited in the types of metal they can detect.
How does aperture size affect the sensitivity of a metal detector?
Aperture size plays a critical role in determining how small of a metal contaminant a metal detector can detect. In general, the smaller the aperture, the higher the sensitivity, meaning the system can detect smaller pieces of metal.
This is because the metal detector’s electromagnetic field is more concentrated in a smaller opening. As the aperture size increases, the signal becomes more dispersed, making it more difficult to detect small contaminants.
Key factors to understand:
- Smaller aperture = better sensitivity
A tighter opening allows the detector to identify smaller metal particles more effectively. - Larger aperture = reduced sensitivity
Larger systems are often required for bigger products, but they may only detect larger contaminants. - Product size determines aperture size
The aperture must accommodate the product, so finding the right balance between product clearance and detection performance is essential. - Product characteristics also matter
Factors such as moisture, salt content, and density (known as product effect) can influence achievable sensitivity.
Why this matters for your operation
Choosing the correct aperture size is one of the most important decisions when selecting a metal detector. Oversizing the aperture can significantly reduce detection capability, while properly sizing it ensures you achieve the highest possible sensitivity for your application.
At Wavesure, we help customers evaluate their product and line setup to ensure the metal detector is properly sized, maximizing detection performance while maintaining efficient production.
How small of a contaminant can a metal detector find?
Detection capability depends on the aperture size and product. However, metal detectors can detect metal contaminants as small as a fraction of a millimeter under ideal conditions
What determines the size of the sensitivity test standards for a metal detector?
The size of a sensitivity test standard is determined by a combination of factors, including the metal type (Fe, Non-Fe, Stainless Steel), metal detector detector aperture size, product characteristics, and the level of sensitivity required by your food safety program.
Larger apertures generally result in reduced sensitivity, requiring larger test pieces. Product effect caused by moisture, salt, temperature, or density can also limit how small a contaminant can be reliably detected. Additionally, stainless steel is inherently more difficult to detect, so it typically requires larger test standards compared to ferrous or non-ferrous metals.
Ultimately, test standard sizes should be established based on realistic detection capability, validated under actual operating conditions, and aligned with your risk assessment, customer requirements, and audit standards.
How often should operators test a metal detector
Management must evaluate the costs and implications associated with a failed test and decide. Most facilities test at start-up, hourly, and at product changeovers, depending on their HACCP plan.
Why do metal detectors give false rejects?
Most false rejects come from unstable product signals, radio frequency interference, isolation missing in the nearby hardware, vibration, or incorrect settings. Our techs perform root-cause diagnostics to stabilize performance and train your team to prevent repeat issues.